TV Spotlight: Home Movies

Thu, 09/14/2017 - 11:59am by manz

Home Movies is one of funniest, most enjoyable little shows I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching. It’s so simple and bizarre. The animated show centers on 8 year old Brendan Small, a budding filmmaker who enjoys making videos with his two best friends, Jason and Melissa. He lives with his divorced mother and baby sister. Brendan also plays soccer and forms a warped father/son relationship with his coach, John McGuirk. Happenings include identifying a body, a camp out, guitarmageddon, bad advice, and puppy adoption.

Sounds pretty average, but it’s the dialog that sets it apart. With a sparse script and room for improv, the actors created believable and funny dialog that is so dry and witty. Anything out of McGuirk’s mouth is pretty much the best thing ever.

Created by Loren Bouchard and Brendan Small, the show premiered in Squigglevision in 1999 on UPN, and was cancelled after just five episodes. The show came back in 2001 on Cartoon Network and was the first program in the Adult Swim block of shows. And there it happily sat bringing forth balance to even weirder shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force.